Favorite OT Color Grade (Official Releases)

Author: PJ
Date: 2-Oct-2020, 12:21 AM

Author: PJ
Time: 2-Oct-2020 12:21 AM
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Of all the official releases of the OT, which ones do you like the most for their color grading? I often find when watching a release I havent seen before, the grading is what often has the biggest part in whether I like it or not. If for some reason you don’t like the entire set of films in one release, then pick for each individual film.

Going off of 35mm scans I’ve seen and certain aspects of the home releases on VHS and Laserdisc, my personal favorite is all three of the 1997 Special Editions. For as controversial as they may be (not to mention despised), I think they do a good job of giving the films an updated and vibrant color grade that still has the spirit of the original grading. Best of all, the blacks aren’t crushed into submission.

Author: Hal 9000
Time: 4-Oct-2020 9:38 PM
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I’d have to agree. Maybe it’s just because those are the VHS tapes U came up with, but they feel more right to me than anything since.

My stance on revising fan edits.

Author: NeverarGreat
Time: 5-Oct-2020 12:04 AM
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I guess that would be my top pick as well, and makes sense since ANH was based off of a Tech print.

As for fan-grading, Team Blu’s GOUT upscale was the gold-standard for me until 4K77.

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Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

Author: PJ
Time: 5-Oct-2020 11:15 PM
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I’ll have to take a look at that. I didn’t think the GOAT releases would have a project like that given it’s questionable quality. I wish at some point we can get a blu-ray release one of these centuries that is color matched to the Tech print. It’s coloring is crisp yet not overly saturated. It finds ways to liven up the image even in areas that seem borderline monochromatic.

Author: darklordoftech
Time: 28-Oct-2020 6:59 AM
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The pre-1993 VHS and Laserdiscs. There seems to be the least screwing around with the colors.

Author: WookieeWarrior77
Time: 12-Jan-2022 9:37 PM
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I actually really like the colors on the GOUT, and while the quality may not be the greatest, I still love those DVDs, and don’t find the quality to be as bad as most say (although still unexcusable as the best official release of such classic movies). Even though I know the op said official releases, I’d say 4k77 has the most eye pleasing color palette to me.

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Author: The Star Wars Purist
Time: 13-Jan-2022 10:54 AM
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ANH - GOUT
ESB - 2004/2011
ROTJ - 1997

I’m not really that much of a movie purist. I really should’ve thought my name out a bit more.

Author: Mister Bebop
Time: 11-Sep-2022 8:49 PM
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When it comes to my personal favorite color grades, first for ANH I like the theatrical technicolor grade the most. It just seems the most suited grade for that film. Although, the 97 grade is pretty close too.

And for ESB I actually really like and prefer the GOUT colors for that one. I feel the fair and bright looking colors compliments the locations and sets within the film pretty well such as Hoth and Cloud City. Even though it seems anymore that a lot of people aren’t really a fan the GOUT grades nowadays. Idk, it seems that way to me at least.

Anyway and finally, for the ROTJ grade I like the SE 97 grade the best. I think it does really improve the overall look of that film than compare to previous grades for ROTJ which always seems off to me due the inconsistencies and oddities of those grades, especially the original theatrical grade.

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Author: Astroboi2
Time: 22-Jul-2023 6:00 PM
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Sorry for bumping an old thread here! My friends and I were discussing this very topic recently, so I figured it wasn’t completely inappropriate for me to put my thoughts down on the matter here.

For Star Wars itself, I really like the color grade of the Technidisc pressing of the first North American widescreen laserdisc, with that slightly faded '70s look. It’s how the theatrical experience looked in my memory (as unreliable as that may be).

For Empire, it’s also the first American widescreen laserdisc (although it doesn’t matter which pressing in this case). The vibrancy just looks right too my eyes… and in my memory Empire always looked more weirdly vivid than Star Wars.

For Jedi, I like the more “modern” looking color grade of the Definitive Collection / Faces laserdiscs (and the 2006 bonus dvd is almost as good). It’s weird… I was 8 years old when Jedi came out, and in my mind it was the “slick & modern” Star Wars movie. I feel like I still see it that way :p

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Author: darklordoftech
Time: 24-Sep-2023 11:59 PM
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What does everyone here think of the 2019 color grading?

Author: Sideburns of BoShek
Time: 23-Apr-2024 4:15 PM (Edited)
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darklordoftech said:

The pre-1993 VHS and Laserdiscs. There seems to be the least screwing around with the colors.

Mine too. Possibly because they’re also the the tapes I grew up with, so some thick nostalgia goggles for me.

darklordoftech said:

What does everyone here think of the 2019 color grading?

I’ve bought them, but never actually watched them. Aren’t they washed out? I’ve seen a few images where they are used as examples for the loss of image detail and sharpness, but not the color grading itself. Is there a good comparison site or chart for the different color grades?

Maybe also a comparison with 4K77 and Harmy’s Despecialized?

“Don’t tell anyone… but when ‘Star Wars’ first came out, I didn’t know where it was going either. The trick is to pretend you’ve planned the whole thing out in advance. Throw in some father issues and references to other stories - let’s call them homages - and you’ve got a series.” - George Lucas